Braced spreader for fabric treating machines



April 21, 1950 H. STUBBLEBINE 2,503,524

BRACED SPREADER FOR FABRIC TREATING MACHINES Filed Nov. 21, 1947* Patented Apr. 11, 1950 UNITED STATES .PATEN' ()FFICE BRACED SPREADER FOR FABRIC TREATING MACHINES 2, Claims. 1

This. invention relates to a spreader for use in smoothing tubular fabric.

At the present time, when a length of tubular fabric has been produced, as by knitting, weaving or the like, the fabric may be bleached, dyed or otherwise treated, and is then ironed and wound up in rolls for cutting into predetermined lengths. At the time the tubular fabric has been bleached, dyed or the like, it is necessary when passing the fabric through the ironing rolls to spread or laterally stretch the fabric ahead of the ironing rolls. It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a fabric spreader adapted to be inserted within the tubular fabric which will spread out the wrinkled fabric immediately ahead of the ironing rolls and which is so constructed as to withstand the pulling strain on the fabric caused by the pull of the ironing rolls.

Another object of this invention is to provide a spreader of this kind which is formed of a U- shaped tube or rod having the forward ends of the parallel sides connected together by a connecting bar with the U-shaped member braced against collapsing by means of bracing bars fixed between the U-shaped member and the connecting bar.

A further object of this invention is to provide a fabric spreader of this kind which by reason of its braced construction will last for a greater period of time than spreaders at present available or at present in use.

To the foregoing objects, and others which may hereinafter more fully appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be more specifically referred to and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, but it is to be understood that changes, variations, and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a detailed side elevation, partly in section, of a tubular fabric ironing means having associated therewith a spreader constructed according to an embodiment of this invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the spreader.

Figure 3 is a detailed side elevation of the spreader.

Figure 4 is a detailed inner end elevation of the spreader.

Figure 5 is a plan view of a modified form of this invention.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l5 designates generally a series of superposed ironing rollers carried by shafts IS. The shafts I6 55 are journaled in a frame structure t1 and a material winding shaft I8 is disposed above the rollers l5 and is mounted for vertical movement in guide means i9 carried by the frame I1. The ironing rollers I5 are adapted to have passed therethrough a tubular fabric F which has been previously woven or knitted and either bleached, dyed or otherwise treated. After the fabric F has been treated it is necessary that the fabric be ironed and straightened out and for this purpose a spreader generally designated as 20 is interposed in the tubular fabric F ahead of the ironing rollers l5. This spreader includes a U- shaped member 2| formed with parallel sides 22 and an arcuate bight 23. The cross bar 25 is flattened at the opposite ends thereof as indicated at 24 and sides 22 engage the reduced ends 24 of the cross bar 25 and are secured thereto by means of welding 26 or the like.

The crossbar 25 is adapted to engage between the lowermost pair of rollers 15 and is of such size that when the rollers l5 are rotating the crossbar 25 being round in transverse section will be held against movement between the lower pairs of rollers so that the fabric F will be pulled over the spreader without drawing the spreader between the ironing rolls. The U-shaped member 2| is adapted to be braced by means of a pair of V-shaped bracing members 2! and 28. The bracing member 2! includes a bracing bar 29 which is welded as at 30 to the central portion of the bight 23 and the opposite end of the bracing bar 29 is welded as at 3| to the rear end portion of the side member 22. The bracing member 2! also includes a second bracing bar 32 formed integral with the bracing bar 27 and welded as at 33 to the crossbar 25. The bracing member 28 includes a bracing bar 34 which is welded as at 35 to the bight 23 at substantially the center point of the bight and the bracing bar 34 is welded as at 36 t0 the rear portion of the adjacent side member 22. The bracing member 28 includes a forward bracing bar 3'! integral with the bracing bar 34 and welded as at 38 t0 the crossbar 25.

The spreader shown in plan in Figure 5, generally designated as 39, includes a pair of confronting V-shaped members All and 4| and a transversely extending bracing bar 42 extends between the angle formed by the bracing members 4t and 4!. In other respects the spreader 39 is similar to spreader 20.

In the use of this braced spreader the spreader is inserted in the leading end of the tubular fabric F with the arcuate bight 23 projecting inwardly of the fabric. The crossbar 25 is adapted to engage between a pair of ironing rollers [5 as shown in Figure 1. The fabric F is then pulled over the spreader which will be prevented from engaging between the rollers by means of the rounded crossbar 25. As the fabric F is pulled over the spreader the fabric will be laterally stretched and as shown in Figure 1 the rear portion of the spreader is adapted to engage On a support 43 which extends from the frame I1.

What I claim is:

1. A spreader for smoothing fabric comprising a U-shaped member for insertion into the fabric with the bight thereof innermost, a crossbar fixed between the free ends of said member, said crossbar having a diameter greater than the outer diameter of said U-shaped member, the ends of said crossbar tapering from opposed sides thereof, and a pair of confronting V-shaped bracing members fixed between said crossbar and said bight.

2. A spreader for smoothing fabric comprising ing members.

HARVEY STUBBLEBINE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,113,905 Pease Oct. 13, 1914 1,659,380 Spiegel Feb. 14, 1928 2,011,729 Reinhard Aug. 20, 1935 2,104,402 Riefi'el Jan. 4, 1938 2,118,417 Richardson May 24, 1938 2,450,932 Beard Oct. 12, 1948 

